The Strike of Lightning
by DemonicPandaDoll
Summary: With her father, Gabby only knew about pain and suffering.. But as her father dies at what should have killed her, Gabby is suddenly thrown into a world of more emotion. But, she'll need some help to survive it all.. MelloXOC
1. Freedom

Hello everyone. Welcome to my first story. This story is going to center around a girl named Gabby, and is a MelloXOC. Please note: Italics used are for first person experiences/flashbacks that Gabby, or any character, has. Otherwise, this story will be told in the third-person.

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note, its concepts, or its characters. Gabby is, however, an original character of mine.+

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_**Help..**_

_The tears kept falling down my face as I sat cradled in a ball in the far corner of my room. The walls were painted vibrant purple, now black with the absence of light, from both outside and inside my house. The rain was falling steadily in rhythym, as if it didn't notice that I was creating my own rain, except from my eyes. Maybe rain was angel tears. Maybe the angels were crying, drowning te world in their own tears, for the pain of children across the world._

_**Help..**_

_My father was asleep in his room a few doors down from mine. I refused sleep though. It was only a matter of time before the ungrateful bastard woike up and made his way to my only sanctuary. Father.. How I regretted when he was awake. He was out to kill me, I could feel it in my bones.. Father beat me, day in and day out.. The only place I could count on for freedom was school and my room, but only in the deepest hours of night could it be a free place. Father owned me.. He owned the cuts, the scars, the bruises on my body.._

_**Help me..**_

_I hated my father.. I hated him with such a deep passion. He was the reason my mother was sleeping peacefully in the cemetary dirt. He was the reason my friends constantly questioned my appearance, my attitude, and my demeanor. He was the reason why I lost control of who I was, and screamed. _

_**I'm drowning in pain.. Help me..**_

_Yes, I screamed. Not where he heard me. It always had to be a place where he'd never hear me empty my lungs of much needed air, burn my throat with such a wail, and become the animal I was. I'd scream until I felt light-headed, screamed until my eyes even felt dry, screamed until I could scream no more._

_**Please.. Help..**_

_I heard something bump against the floor in the room I wished would burn. Father was awake. I knew he was coming for me. On hands and knees, as quietly as I could, I scurried to my closet, located a few feet from my original place on the floor. I opened the door just enough to allow myself entry, then shut it once more. Thankfully, my closet door did not creak, or make any sort of sound. In a way, it seemed to want to protect me from harm. My breathing became ghostly, as if it wasn't present. I was waiting.. Waiting for that bastard to throw open my door and search for me. Me.. His favorite punching bag. My heart was beating frantically, I thought it was going to burst.. Or worse, give out my location. I didn't care if I died.. I didn't want to, but if it meant getting away from that horrid man, I'd accept it happily._

_**Just take me away..**_

_The footsteps only got louder, with more force upon impact to the ground. Louder and louder they got, until they suddenly vanished. I knew this trick already. He would stop dead in his tracks, outside my door, and wait for a reaction. As soon as I gave one, he'd throw the door to the wall, and charge at me. And if I didn't give a reaction? He'd still charge in. What would stop him? Nothing would. Nothing until he died would ever stop him.._

_**I want to go away..**_

_I heard the bedroom door slam against the wall from behind my only protection, a winter coat and the closet door. His deep, menacing breathing could be heard, as clear as day. I could almost see his bloodshot green eyes, darting around, searching for their target. I heard him move quickly and loudly into my room, knocking things over without a care. He was looking for me. Dear old dad was looking for me. What a joy.._

_"Gabby, come on out.. Daddy just wants to talk to you," he called in a sickeningly sweet, sadistic voice. We both knew what his true intentions were. For that reason, I refused to move from my spot. If he found me, my punishment would be worse. If I didn't come out until tomorrow morning, Tuesday morning, he'd probably do much, much worse. It didn't matter to me. I was able to turn off most pain. So I waited until he found me._

_I could hear the desturction of my things in the other room so clearly. I closed my eyes for a moment, and tried to picture where he was, when I heard a loud bang on my door, followed bya spine-tingling laugh. He found me. I knew he would. Now he'd tear the door open, drag me out, and unleash hell upon my small frame._

_The knob jiggled, but did not fully turn. My father made an amused chuckle from the other side of my barriar. "Trying to hide are we," mocked he, before a click rang through my head. Was I hearing things? The click had resembled that of a gun being cocked.. He planned on killing me! And, knowing my father, he had a gun ready to go through wood, and pierce the bone of a twelve-year-old child easily. Silently, I counted the seconds, which soon turned to prayer. I prayed that the bullet would not kill me. I prayed that my father would drop dead instead of I._

_"Night night Gabby," he cooed, laughing malevolently. A loud bang followed his voice. My eyes shot wide open. I wanted to see the object that would end my suffering, end my pain, end this hell I was living in._

_I never saw it. Something sounded from the other side, like metal colliding with metal, then the agonizing yell of my father soon after. A thud happened next, and then complete silence. I waited. And waited. And waited longer. But, nothing else happened. Not even the deep breathing I had grown to fear was not heard. My hand reached for the doorknob, and I attempted to open the door, with no luck. My fingers traced the cool knob, before landing on the lock, which made me realize that the door had locked from my side. I unlocked the door, then ever so slowly coaxed the door open. My father lie on the ground, still as a statue, a pool of dark liquid surrounding him. A hole protruded from his forehead. My eyes grew wider than coins. My father was dead.. Right before my eyes. I wasn't a fool of a kid. No one had to tell me he was dead._

_At that moment of realiztion of my freedom from the hell-bringer, lightning crashed down from the heavens, lighting the sky before becoming dark once more. I knew what was going to happen next. The neighbors no doubt heard the gun fire. They would be here to investigate any moment. I would no doubt be going to live in an orphanage, the only thing tying me back to this place being the items I now owned for myself._

_He was dead.. I was finally free from him.. And I was leaving hell forever.._

_**.. Thank you angels for answering my prayers...**_

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I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Please take note that this chapter is for a background story on Gabby, and that the next chapter will put her in the Wammy's setting. Reviews would be appreciated greatly. See you all in the next chapter!


	2. Wammy's House

Hello all, and welcome to chapter two. This was meant to be up yesterday with the first chapter, but.. I kinda forgot to post it.. Don't kill me.

Disclaimer: The DemonicPandaDoll doesn't own Death Note, its concepts, or characters. Gabby is an original creation of hers, however.

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For the better part of a year, Gabby lived within the local orphanage. She was no a very social person at all. When the children were allowed outside for playtime, Gabby would either wander back to her bunk and lie down, or go outside and stand in the shade, hiding herself from the others. The other children kept their distance from this new, isolated girl. The owners, four fat, old ladies, however, took special interest in her. Whether it be because of her torn and bruised flesh, or the intellect the others lacked, she did not know, nor did she care.

One day, an old looking man came to the orphanage. Melinda, one of the owners, greeted him warmly, as if she expected him to visit. From the window in their room, the children watched anxiously. Was the man here to adopt? They wanted to know. The only child that did no care to know was Gabby, who was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

Another owner, Carista, entered the children's room, smiling at Gabby. "Gabby dear, you're being moved to another orphanage. One that's better suited for a girl like yourself."

Without a word, Gabby grabbed her already-packed bags, and left the room, following the woman outside. Without a good-bye, Gabby climbed into the black car, next to the man. They began driving soon after.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Gabrielle," the man started, giving the young female an inviting look. "My name is Roger. I own Wammy's School, an orphanage for exceptionally bright children."

Gabby looked straight into the man's eyes. School? Orphanage? Great, lonliness on two different levels.. At once! She already dreaded the car ride.

Roger continued on with the details of the school, including that the children went by alias'. Gabby nodded in understanding. She didn't even notice that they had left her old home until they arrived at a deserted field, with a black jet waiting.

"Not many people now about Wammy's, so we do our best to abie by that secrecy, and keep the children from the general public." Gabby frowned, but pulled herself inside the jet, taking a seat. Roger sat beside her. "Relax Miss Gabby, we'll arrive there tomorrow morning or so, if the weather permits."

Tomorrow.. Gabby allowed a puff of sharp breath to pass her lips. Tomorrow was her birthday. She was almost thirteen. And this was her gift.. The gift of moving to a new orphanage in God -know's-where. Unbeknownst to Gabby, her eyes began to close. Before she realized what was happening, the young girl fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. _Tomorrow..._

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Gabby awoke many hours later, to find herself in another black car. Her eyes darted around in worry, scared to where she was, or why she was in a car. She tried to sit forward, but a hand gently pushed her back against the seat. "Relax Miss Gabby," came the voice of Roger in a soothing tone, "We'll be arriving there in about ten minutes. Just rest until we get there."

Gabby took the words in dully, then shook her head in an attempt to rid herself of the sleep still occupying her body. The scene outside looked a lot different than what she'd seen back home in America.

"Um.. Roger, was it," she asked in a mutter, earning a curious grunt from the man in question. Gabby allowed her eyes to travel from the window to the oldish man seated there. "Exactly where are we, if I may ask?"

Roger chuckled, much to her surprise. What was so funny to him? Was it so wrong to ask a question? Gabby felt her face flush a bit, more in anger towards herself than embarrassment, before she quickly turned her head to look out the window once more, making sure Roger could not see her face.

"No worry, young Miss Gabby. It's alright to be curious of a new place. We are in England as of now."

Gabby blinked in silence. England... Well, this stay was going to be a pain in the neck for her. The rest of the ride, Gabby kept herself in silence, basking in her own little world for a little while longer. She broke her concentration on her thoughts when she felt the car come to a stop outside a church-like establishment. A sign by the gothic-style gates read, "Wammy's." They were finally there.

Gabby helped herself out of the car, then stretched, before grabbing her bags and wandering after Roger. Because it was only six or so in the morning, no other human stirred on the grounds of the building, giving it a creepy, abandoned feel. The wind picked up momentarilly, and for a second, Gabby thought she heard the familiar blast of a gun, before it vanished once more.

The front doors creaked openly lazily before Roger. The old man led her through a series of halls, until they stopped outside an office. Gabby followed after him without a word. A woman inside smiled kindly at Gabby, before turning her attention to Roger. "Everything stayed in order while you were away, sir. It was as if you had never left."

Roger allowed a small smirk to pass his features. "Yes, well, we can't have these children acting up every time I go away on business, can we?"

After a few words of greeting, Roger took Gabby to what she guessed was his own, personal office, where she sat before a large desk. Roger took a file and began reading rules of the younger children and the privledges of those who were in their teen years, and other things, which Gabby soon learned was her own, private file. She had to clarify everything Roger asked her to, and correct him when he was wrong. Whatever she did, however, it seemed to be right, because by the end of it, Roger had a very pleased look on his face.

"Excellent. You'll be a fantastic addition to our family. Now, all that's really left is for you to choose an alias. I'll check up on you tomorrow for that information." He stood up, and held his hand out for the girl to shake. "Welcome to Wammy's House, young Gabby."

Gabby stood lightly, her bags by her side, and she took Roger's hand firmly, like her father had drilled into her head. After shaking his hand, Gabby made her way to the door, a list of classes and her room number printed on it, when Roger added, "And Gabby.. Happy birthday."

Closing the big, oak door behind her, Gabby began on her way to her room, or at least the way she thought her room was. She went down hall after hall, watching the numbers of rooms pass by, hoping that she'd pass a number close to her's soon. She wanted security again. She craved it deeply.

However, she soon heard two voices talking to each other, from somewhere behind her. Gabby sped up her pace, but as soon as she did, one of the voices called, "Hey, you, wait up."

Gabby did not wait. Instead, she turned a corner and broke into a sprint. The numbers of the doors finally became familiar to the one she was looking for, and before she could look to see if her pursuers were still after her, she flung open the door and slammed it behind her. A few seconds later, the other footsteps could be heard, stopping in the hall.

"Man.. We lost whoever it was," one of the voices said, a little out of breath. The other made a sort of grunt, before saying stubbornly, "They aren't gone yet.. We'll see whoever it was sooner or later.." And with that, the two walked away.

Gabby hastily calmed her breathing, then looked at the room closely. It was rather nice; A rather large bed, a spacey closet, a nice desk, a lamp, and a large mirror by the door. Gabby glanced at it, and noticed, for the first time in a while, her own features. She had black hair, cut to probably the middle part of her neck, that poofed out a bit, making it perfect for moving with her. Her eyes were unnaturally bright green, like her dead father's. Her skin, however, was pale, like her mother. She was a bit on the slim side, but otherwise, nicely built for a girl her age. She wore a black and white strpied top and black jeans, nothing special.

"Why.. Why were they after me," she questioned herself aloud, throwing her bags to the middle of the room, while she threw herself onto the bed. She needn't be worrying about bullies.. She was sure she could take more than enough pain from all of the children here. And yet... She ran.

Suddenly, Gabby sat up, a scowl on her face. "No, stop it. Don't think about pain," she demanded to herself, before falling back on the bed again. "Why worry about that.. I still need to pick an alias anyway.."

The light danced in Gabby's eyes as she stared at it blankly. A new day.. It began when the rest of the children awoke.. The day was Satudrday. Roger told her she wouldn't need to attend classes on Monday or Tuesday, so she could get accustomed to her home, and find everywhere she needed to be.. Gabby rolled onto her side, and sighed. "So much for a birthday... I'm scared out of my wits, and I'm nowhere near home.." The young girl closed her eyes tightly, clenching a fist. "Why.. Why must I suffer through this?.."

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Geh.. This chapter could've been better in my opinion. But, it helps set up ideas for the next chapter. So, I guess this is the best that you're getting. See you all in chapter three. Bye!


	3. The Piano Room

Yay! Chapter three! And it only took me a few months to remember this story... Whoops...

Anyway, I don't own Death Note. At all. Not even a litle bit. Gabby is my creation. Mine.

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Five minutes later, Gabby rose to her feet, pushing her hair from her face. She looked quietly outside, frowning. She wanted to be out there, not anywhere in particular, just somewhere out there, free from the walls that confined her to the room she was, from the building with its many halls. She almost wished the bullet had gotten her, so she could wander forever, free.

Of course, she only **almost** wished it. After all, in still having her life, she had pretty much beat her father in the most important thing ever; She had beaten him at life. In their struggle between him trying to kill her and her will to live, her will had prevailed. She was still there, and her father was rotting in the ground back in America. Almost exactly how it should've been. Almost.

Gabby broke her stare away from the window, looking once more at the door. Like a mouse, she made her way to the door, putting her ear to it to see if she could hear anyone in the hall. After a few moments of silence, she cracked the dorr open slowly, then forced herself to peek around into the hall. No one was present in the hallway, so Gabby crept outside, gently pushing her door shut.

Gabby began a lost wander through the hall, her head down, and her eyes looking up at the doors. She had no set thing to be looking for, she just felt like clearing her mind of her thoughts. Gabby just hoped that no one else would pass her by. Gabby really wasn't in the mood for people. People, their crap, their lies, any of it.

Soon, the rooms she passed became classes. Books, chemistry labs, desks, blackboards, chiars, she saw so much just wandering by, it almost made her head spin. Gabby certainly wasn't looking forward to Wednesday. It'd be awkward joining into these classes.

Soon, Gabby came to a halt outside of a roomm her eyes catching one key thing in that room. Feeling drawn towards it, Gabby strolled, enchanted, into the room, before stopping before a large, black piano. The large instrument was one of the only connection's Gabby felt she had to her mother, and to life. The piano was the only thing that gave Gabby happiness. She felt truly connected to the instrument. Her mother had signed her up for lessons when she was four. She set up extra lessons for her to go to when she turned six, when her father started to become more violent.

The black-haired girl traced her fingers over the keys, transfixed, before seating herself on the bench before it. She tapped a key, allowing a single note to ring out. It made her feel satisfied, a small smile drawing on her face. How rare it was when she smiled. Life gave her too many reasons to frown, and here she was, smiling lightly. It was almost wrong to do so, but who was stopping her?

Before she knew it, Gabby was playing a small piece she'd made herself. It was a sad sounding piece, but it also sounded peaceful. The world around her began to disappear, the only thing left being her and the music. It was nice to be free in her world. She liked it that way.

Gabby became so lost in her music that she didn't notice when another person entered the room, having been curious as to who was making the melody. Upon finding the source, said person has sat quietly by the wall, listening unnoticed as the girl continued, thinking she was alone.

Several minutes passed before Gabby allowed her fingers to rest in her lap. A genuine smile was upon her face now. She felt so much better now, being in this place. At least they had something Gabby could hold close to her heart. Maybe now the stay in her mini-prision would be more bearable.

Gabby stood up to leave, taking a final, long look at the piano before turning around. She nearly jumped from her skin when she saw someone else in the room. It brought back the memory of the time her father picked her up from her piano class. Except, this boy did not have a false smile on his face.

In fact, this boy was not smiling at all. He was staring at Gabby with dark, analytical eyes, his curly, white hair hanging slightly from his head. He wore a white, long-sleeved shirt and white pants, but he was missing shoes. Gabby did not know what to make of this boy, so she kept up a defensive front. Of course, she was taller than the boy, and to her knowledge, she was older than him.

After a long, somewhat awkward stare-off, Gabby mumbled in a voice just audible for the boy to hear, "How much of that did you hear?"

He stared quietly at her for a moment, before replying in a calm, monotone voice, "I heard most of it, as far as I know. I must say, that was quite an impressive piece."

Gabby broke away from his stare, her eyes looking at the ground now. "Thanks..."

Silence followed after her small acceptance of the compliment. It was an easy, relaxing silence, not one of cold, bitter unease. Unclear as to why, Gabby shot the boy a semi-catious, semi-curious look.

"So..."

"You're new here, aren't you," the white-haired boy asked finally. Gabby's hands found their way to her jeans' pockets.

"Yeah.. I just got here today."

"Well then, it's nice to meet you. People are here call me Near."

Confusion briefly shone in Gabby's eyes, before she remembered that the children went by aliases. She nodded blankly towards the boy named Near, thinking quickly of a name she could reply with for herself.

"Nice to meet you Near. You can call me Gypsy." It was a stupid, quick name, but hey, so was Near.

Near began twirling a curl of white hair with his finger. "Well, Gypsy, a word of warning. Some people around here are rougher and louder than others. You seem like a quiet person."

"Uh... Yeah..." Gabby glanced around nervously, wondering what exactly Near meant by that. However, she didn't have too much time to think about it, because a loud bell began to toll. Near slowly stood, slouched a bit with his hands in his pockets, and made his way to the door before stopping. "It's time to go to breakfast, Gypsy. I'll be happy to escort you to the cafeteria and sit with you, if you wish."

Gabby was surprised. Not only did she find herself her connection to life, she found a seemlingly nice person to talk to. Perhaps she would become friends with this white-haired boy. Then again, her trust was still far from there, so being friends would take a while, if ever. Well, so long as she had a place to sit for now, she wouldn't complain. Hopefully, it would mean less people would stare at her like a freak.

"Thank you Near. I'd be pleased to sit with you." She couldn't say she'd be too happy with it, but it was her first day. What could be expected?

That question was something Gabby should've accounted for to prepare herself for the remainder of her stay at Wammy House.

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Tada! Chapter three! Sorry for the super long wait. ^_^"

I'll try to update more. Thank you for reading! See you next chapter!


	4. Breakfast

Woohoo, Chapter four! See, I'm doing slightly better, yes?

I own not that which is known as "Death Note," or and associated with it. This story, and Gabby/Gypsy, are mine.

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Walking to the cafeteria was one of the oddest things ever, to Gabby. It was a pretty quiet walk, for starters. Did this mean the boy wasn't that curious about her? Or, was he just watching her and judging her off of what she did? The options made Gabby's head spin, so she allowed that thought to pass away.

Next, there were the actions of many of the other children. They shoved by as they ran for the cafeteria, laughing, screaming, messing around, just like regular kids. So much for being geniuses, right? Well, it wasn't Gabby's place to judge the intellect of others there, since she'd just arrived. She'd learn soon enough if these people were really smart or not.

Finally, there were the stares. Gabby noticed a few children staring in her general direction. She felt they were giving her the odd stare, but she sometimes noticed the stare being directed towards her silent acquaintance. A good number of stares seemed to even be directed at both of them at once. What was the deal with that?

The duo entered the cafeteria noiselessly. Gabby saw a pretty large number of children there, some older, some younger, others shorter, a few fatter, and so on. A few children from the tables nearest the door looked up at them curiously, then turned and began whispering over their food, gesturing at them. Gabby felt like a freak, standing there, not knowing what to do.

Near, noticing Gabby's discomfort, took her hand childishly and led her to the line to get food. They were serving pancakes this morning, with orange juice and a choice of any fruit. Gabby was surprised at how nicely stocked they were on food, considering this place was a said "orphanage."

The lady who gave the food looked Gabby over for a second, then smiled. "First day, dear," she asked, quite motherly. Gabby only nodded, not sure what she could say.

"Well, I hope you enjoy the food. Just about everyone does." She seemed to sense something off about the girl, so she added, "Don't worry dear, you'll like it here."

Near guided Gabby to a table on the opposite side in which they entered. No one else sat at the table, to Gabby's pleasure. Less people meant less questions. Always good for the new kid.

She began eating slowly. The lady was right, the food WAS good. Maybe they had just used the word "orphanage" to scare the new kids. Whatever, she wouldn't complain. Not like she was confident in complaining anyway.

The nearest table to them stopped eating to stare at the two of them, then, like the first tables, began whispering. Gabby looked down silently, feeling ashamed of her appearance and presense. Near inquisitively said to her, "Just don't mind them. They pose no threat."

Gabby slightly nodded, them continued eating. A good half hour went by, with the kids soon acting normally again after the first five or so. Gabby and Near began having a slight conversation, mostly just Gabby asking about the classes and Near filling her in on the details.

Soon, the topic of the smarts came up, when Gabby asked Near why he sat alone and why it seemed no one talked to him.

"It's because I'm the smartest one here, the first in line to success L," he told her, as if it she had asked the weather. "That is one reason. However, there is a better reason that I'm isolated. You see-"

Near didn't have time to finish, because just as he was about to go in to that topic, a loud, angry-seeming voice yelled loudly over the chitchat around them, "Near!"

It immediately grew silent as a blonde boy made his way accross the cafeteria, being followed by a redhead holding a PSP. The blonde stopped at the table, staring daggers at the young white-haired kid.

"That's the reason I'm not talked to much," he finished, as if not interrupted. "The second-in-line hates me and gets everyone else on his side by intimidation."

"Shut the hell up Near," the blonde demanded, which shocked Gabby to the extreme. She could've sworn the blonde was a girl, and the noise had come from the nonchalont redhead. Must've been good that she hadn't sworn then, right?

"I'm hearing you have a new girlfriend," he sneered, getting in the boy's face. "You trying to beat me at that now? Trying to be Mister Big Shot?"

Near, surprisingly, chuckled. "Whoever told you that must be mistaken. I don't have a girlfriend. However, you might be referring to my friend Gypsy," stated the small boy matter-of-factly, gesturing to Gabby. The blonde turned his head fast, sharply looking into her emerald eyes with his ice ones. Gabby stared back blankly, not too sure what this boy could do to her.

"Gypsy, this is Mello. The one with the game is Matt," informed Near, watching almost sliently.

Mello approached Gabby, forgetting about targeting Near for the moment. He seemed almost thoughtful, still a little edgy, but thoughtful.

Finally, he spoke. "You're that person me and Matt saw earlier, aren't you," he asked, though in a demanding voice.

Something in Gabby pushed her answer out. "First of all, it's 'Matt and I,' I suggest you use proper grammer if you're the second smartest here. Second, I may or may not be, what's it to you?"

A few gasps were sounded around them. Gabby herself wanted to gasp, but didn't. She only spoke in that smug way to her father, since no matter what her beatings would happen, smug or not. Around others, she acted so quiet and a bit jumpy. Where was this suddenly coming from?

Mello drew back slightly, before getting close to Gabby's face, his eyes locked on hers. "Listen here, you little smartass, you better watch what you say to me. It could end up saving your life in the end."

Gabby felt the intimidation in her grow. She was scared, frightened out of her mind even. And yet, she felt somewhat... Controlled. Her father was dead, and yet the fear was still being forced into her. Maybe that's why her body began moving on its own. Before she could gather her senses, Gabby was standing, mere centimeters from making cntact with the blonde. She felt her eyes become dead.

"If you're trying to scare me by saying you could kill me, it's failing. I admit, you are doing a good job at scaring me. But you know, I've already been in death's way. I could be dead. But I'm not. So you know what? Maybe I'll push my limits a little more until I finally lose."

Before anyone could react to Gabby's words, she had her plate in her hands. Out of control of her arms, she swung the plate downwards, making sharp contact with Mello's stomach. He lurched back a bit, his hands going for his stomach. Her glass of juice was in her hand next. Gabby, looked uncaring, dumped the juixce on him, before punching his left shoulder and kicking his right knee, sending the blonde to the ground. Matt had looked up from his game to see what was going on. He crouched by his friend, to see if he was alright.

"Now leave me the hell alone," Gabby demanded with a cold, dead voice, shoving her hands in her pockets as she made her way accross the cafeteria silently, alone. She pushed the door open lightly, before hearing the blonde Mello yell, "You'll regret that!"

The last thing Gabby heard from that room as the door began to close behind her was, "Wow.. Feisty."

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Chapter four! I kinda like this chapter. Shows the more animalistic side of Gabby. Don't worry, more of that to come. ^_^ See ya!


	5. Break Down

Hello chapter five! I'm enjoying this story all over again. Just sorting through ideas as to how to lead it.

I don't own Death Note, sadly. Gabby is my creation. That is all.

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Stumbling over her feet, Gabby retreated in the direction of her room, cursing herself loudly. She had just ruined the only chance she had at making a semi-good start in this place. There was now an unnaturally angry blonde boy who she was pretty sure wanted her dead, and, to top that off, Roger would probably be down to her room soon to reprimand her for her bad behavior. And it was just her first freaking day!

Upon reaching her room, Gabby kicked the door open, slamming it shut behind her. A half yell passed her lips before she covered her mouth tightly. _'Not now dammit,'_ she demanded to herself, refusing to show more weakness.

The smallish girl began pacing back and forth in her small sanctuary, awaiting her doom. Of course, she knew no punishment Roger could come up with would be worse than the hurt her father inflicted on her on a day-to-day basis. However, the idea of being punished really made her antsy. Gabby had escaped the confines of punishment from another person, and now it returned to bite her in the butt.

Her hands began shaking uneasily, her breathing becoming that of hyperventalation. Her eyes went to the door every few seconds, expecting it to burst open. What was taking him so long? Mello would've told Roger already, right? Right?

Finally unable to stand, Gabby made her way to her bed, sitting in the corner of the room in a fetal position, her head resting on top of her knees. The anxiety was really starting to drain her, mentally at least. The black-haired girl slowly began fading away from the world into sleep, everything melting away...

Gabby woke up when she heard her door close. _'Looks like it's finally time,'_ her mind told her groggily as she slowly lifted her head, her eyes creeping open to look at the person who had entered the room.

It took a moment for the person to be registered in Gabby's mind. It was not, in fact, the old man who took charge of the school. Rather, it was the furious blonde clad in black leather, a chocolate bar in one of his gloved hands. He didn't look to furious at the moment, rarther annoyed or ticked off, but definitely not furious. Probably because of the pancake and orange smell that came off of him.

He was staring down at the green-eyed girl sharply, her just staring back with glimmerless eyes.

"What was with the need to act all high and mighty back there in the cafeteria," he finally asked after a moment of a pointless staring contest. Gabby blinked slowly, then pondered. She couldn't come up wioth a good enough reason to say to the boy, so she replied dryly, "I don't know."

A wave if anger heated Mello's eyes. He sat on the bed in front of Gabby, slowly leaning forwad with a dark look. "I know you had a reason for what you did. No one has a freak out for no reason."

The closeness, the heavy tone of Mello's voice, the sharp eyes digging deeply into hers, it was all too much for Gabby. She finally felt herself slip away completely, fear tearing through her with its icy claws. Quickly, Gabby, shoved Mello away from her, so hard he fell off the bed to the ground. Gabby tightened her muscles, her head to her knees again, her face now covered by her arms. Sobs were heard from her. They went uncontrolled; loud, unsettling, frightened, pain-filled sobs. How long it had been since Gabby had cried like that...

**~Mello's Point of View~**

_Well, this was taking a turn for the worse. I purposely had Matt tell Roger I slipped on my own two feet. That that was the commotion he had heard. And that the new girl seemed to have been upset by something someone appeared to have said to her and left the room. I told him I would check up on her, if it meant I didn't have to clean that mess. It's not like it was mine in the first place._

_Anyway, I went to Gypsy's room to get the information I was searching for; Why she was acting like such a rebellious bitch. She was seriously going to get herself hurt if she kept that attitude up, if not by me, than by someone else. Why did I care if she got hurt or not anyway? Whatever..._

_So now I was sprawled on the ground, having just been roughly shoved away by that girl. I heard sobbing afterwards. Regaining my mind, I pulled myself to a kneel, looking over to the girl. She was an odd one..._

_Without a thought, I reached a hand out and grabbed her shoulder, to see if she was okay. She threw my hand back. By instinct, I grabbed her wrist. She began flailing, trying desparately to get her arm back._

_"Hey, calm down," I heard myself yell. That seemed to have an opposite affect on her, because as soon as those words came out, she began fighting against me more. Gypsy even hit me a few times, fighting against my grip. I wouldn't let her win though. Something told me not to let her win._

_Before I could react using my head, I was on the bed again. My free arm wrapped around her body, pinning her arm to her side. I quickly did the same with my other arm, then fell on the bed, on top of her. She continued strugging against me, but in a vain effort. I continuously heard her beg me to let her go, to leave her be, to even kill her._

_Minutes passed by in this fashion. I just ignored everything that came from her mouth, holding her down the best I could. By and by, she began calming her movements, until she was completely still. When I looked at her face, it looked scared, perplexed, and sad._

_I stood at this point, grabbing her arm. "I'm taking you to the hospital wing. Maybe she can figure out what the hell is wrong with you."_

_Exactly sounded as I meant it to be; Harsh, uncaring sounding. And yet..._

**~Third Person~**

When Gabby began being able to make sense of things again, she was sitting limply in a chair in the nurse's office. She forgotten how she'd got there. The nurse was holding her arm, her sleeve rolled up to her elbow, revealing an arm of cuts, burns, and bruises. She was just nodding lightly, a grim expression on her face. When she finally set her arm back by her side, she muttered, "Dear God..."

Gabby held her head, sighing, before glancing around the room darkly. To her surprise and pleasure, no one else was there. No one else saw the injuries. No one else.

Or so she thought...

* * *

Eh... My ideas have begun to run muddled. I'll make sure the next chapter is better. Bye for now!


	6. Before Classes

Welcome to the next chapter! Thank you to everyone who's been egging me on to continue this story. I really appreciate it. :)

As usual, I don't own Death Note. Gabby is my own creation. Yes.

* * *

The rest of Saturday through Tuesday went by quite uneventfully. During the rest of the weekend, Gabby spent the majority of her time in her room, not daring to roam when the others were moving about freely. Roger indeed checked up on her, and that was the last Gabby really saw of Roger, aside from his occasional appearance to end a fight. She sat with Near during meal times, and people began leaving her to herself. During these times, Gabby would shoot a glance or two towards Mello. She wasn't entirely sure why though. Was it fear behind it, or something else?

Monday, when Gabby strolled to the cafeteria, she noticed the others all were carrying books. Perplexed, she got her food- Eggs and bacon today- then asked Near what was going on.

"It's Monday, Gypsy," he informed her. "I'm sure Roger told you about classes here."

Right. Classes. Gabby decided she'd spend this day roaming around to figure out where her classes were. It'd be easier to do this, since everyone else would be in their classrooms, not paying attention to the activity outside in the hall.

So, she did just that, stealing away into the hall as the noise outside died away and the moments were silent. She carried with her a single piece of paper, looking up nervously as she passed rooms, students focused on work, though some were obviously in their own worlds.

To Gabby's surprise, it was easier to find her classes than she'd previously thought. She went by them again, in reverse order, finding them perfectly fine. Then, as silently and quickly as she could, she returned to her room just before the students were dismissed to next class.

The young girl didn't emerge again until the lunch bell rang, then did the same thing for dinner. The rest of that day went to her putting away various clothes and things she owned. Oddly enough, her father had bought her a nice laptop and MP3 player. Gabby always put those off as him just trying to make himself look good. Stupid man.

Tuesday came and went with Gabby not emerging from her room until dinner. She felt uneasy about traveling outside her walls for some new reason, so she just stayed inside until her hunger pangs were to the point of pain.

Upon getting her meal of spaghetti and meatballs, Gabby sat herself opposite of Near, who gave her a semi-curious look. "No one saw you today," he informed her dully, almost as if he thought she didn't care.

"Oh," she asked, feigning that she didn't know, as if she'd been around in plain sight.

"Are you alright, Miss Gypsy?"

That question nearly knocked Gabby out of her seat. The boy was asking... If she was okay? It confused her a great deal. No one really asked her if she was okay. Ever.

She struggled with her words, wondering if she should lie or tell him the truth. Swallowing, she said, "Yeah.. I'm alright."

To her surprise, Near gave her a skeptical glance. He pressed off the subject, however, by asking, "Classes start tomorrow. Do you know where you're going?"

She nodded lightly. "I've found the classes. Thank you for asking." She strained with saying those words, then just looked to her food and ate in silence. As if agreeing in si9lence, Near followed in suite.

Gabby felt eyes on her back, so she quickly turned to see what was wrong. Fear shot through her body when she saw Mello staring at her. When their eyes locked, Mello gave a scoff and turned back. Gabby looked back at her food, eyes shaking. She wished he'd leave her alone, not look at her. Gabby could only wish...

After dinner, Gabby retreated to her room. Classes were done after dinner time, except on Thursdays. It was an odd schedule, in her opinion, but then again, what did her opinion matter?

When the hall grew mostly quiet, Gabby decided that she could use a hot shower. She went to her dresser, pulling it open gently. The girl pulled from it a faded gray tank top and baggy black sweatpants, as well as underwear, placing them on her bed for when she returned. She pulled the door open, walking the short distance from her room to the girl's bathroom. The bathrooms divided into the toilet areas and the shower stalls.

Obviously, Gabby went to the shower area, grabbing a towel before locking herself in a stall. There was a small container for her clothes and towel so they wouldn't get wet.

Unhesitantly, Gabby stripped herself of the clothes she was already wearing, placing the clothes gingerly into the box. She turned the hot water on, then stepped under. At first, she tensed at the unexpected heat that crashed against her bare skin, but she quickly got used to it, steadily relaxing. She shampooed her hair roughly, then allowed the water to rinse it out. With soap, she cleansed her skin, then quickly ran some conditioner in before washing it out and shutting the water off.

Gabby squeezed the excess water from her hair before drying her body with her towel, wapping it around her body tightly. She then picked up her clothes and exited the stall. She stepped into the hall thoughtlessly, heading for her room.

Then, before she could comprehend what happened, she heard laughter, then someone crashed into her, throwing her to the ground roughly.

She kept her eyes tightly closed, expecting the familiar punches to be delivered to her face. Instead, she just heard a familiar voice mutter, "Shit." She looked to who it was, and saw Mello on the ground, not too far from her, Matt there too, though he was standing. Mello looked at her, then his eyes froze on her figure. Matt looked between the both of them, confused, not knowing what to say or do.

Finally, Mello sputtered out an, "Uh..." It sounded quite dumbfounded, distracted, and unfocused.

Gabby's face turned bright red from embarrassment, and oddly enough, from anger as well. She sprang to her feet, gripping at the towel that was just barely covering what it needed to. She glared down at Mello, and she soon found herself doing something she was sure she thought she'd die trying to do.

Gabby got mad and yelled at Mello.

"Gosh, watch where the hell you're going you idiot! Are you trying to take my head off or something? Besides, you're in the girls' hall! The GIRLS' hall! That's just calling out for perversion! I have half a mind to report you for your stupid antics. I'm not going to though. I think I can do more damage than any punishment he'd give you!"

Mello was to his feet now, but Gabby was not done. She approached Mello, her face in front of his, the venom of her words seeming to spill from the corners of her mouth.

"Really, do you have no respect for even yourself? Because you choose to look like a little girl with a messed up hair cut? And now you just have the nerve to stand and not even say sorry! You're a worthless excuse of an intellect!"

Gabby raised her hand, and did the final thing she didn't expect herself to do. With all of her might, she slapped Mello across the face, sending him to the ground once more. It was when he hit the ground did she realize what she'd just done, and froze in her tracks, eyes fixated on Mello with a dead, blank expression. Matt had crouched beside his friend, and was now looking at her with curiousity. He mouthed to her, 'You alright?'

And yet she wasn't focused on him. Gabby had fallen to her own realm. Hauntingly, she took in a shaky breath, then hurried away to her room, carrying her clothing and clutching her towel with a vice grip.

As soon as she was gone, Mello's eyes flooded with rage. He stood, a red mark faintly tattooed to his face. "Wait to I see that damn bitch again," she swore, storming off.

Matt stared after him for a second, then looked back to where Gabby had disappeared. "That's the girl he won't shut up about," he asked himself, before shrugging. "Eh... I can see why..."

He stared after where Mello had run to, then chuckled light-heartedly. "He definitely got what he deserved." Then he ran after his blonde friend without another word to himself.

Gabby, meanwhile, had gotten to her room, and was dressed, lying limply on her bed in fetal position, her head against the pillow just barely. She was shaking uneasily, afraid of what she'd just done.

"I did that," she whispered to herself, eyes wide with fear and disbelief. They quickly shut, tight and forced. She didn't want to say it to herself, but it was true. The act she had just committed proved that point all the more. It was an unsettling reality that the black-haired girl had to finally face.

"I am the spawn of my father's demon."

* * *

Dooone. :D

I hope you enjoyed. Next chapter to be up. Thanks for reading!


	7. A Father's Curse

Now, before I fall anymore behind in my story, here we go!

I do not own Death Note. Not enough mayham. Gabby is mine thoguh. HA!

The next day, Gabby found herself at breakfast, staring at her cereal, a Physics book resting on her lap lazily. This was it, the first day of classes for the poor girl. Her stomach was doing flips, making her lose her appetite. She wished she could die where she was, leave the empty shell of her body on Earth while her spirit drifted somewhere else.

Unfortunately, she could only wish this. No one would kill her, not in this place... Would _they_? She shook her head. Mello and Matt wouldn't do it. She sighed, setting her head down next to her food.

Near just silently watched her, before asking, "What class do you have this morning?"

Gabby glanced at him, then at her book. "I have Physics," she breathed, brushing her hair from her face silently. The faintest smile touched Near's lips. "So do I. We can accompany each other to class."

The girl only smiled weakly at this. It sounded pretty good, to her at least. Near had become a really good friend, she guessed. He didn't bother her nonstop, he knew when to leave her alone, and he was nice to her.

At the conclusion of breakfast, Near and Gabby made their way to the Physics room, neither talking to the other. The silence had become a comforting friend to them. Neither really knew why, but maybe it was due to neither of them really having much experience talking to other people.

They entered the room, arriving earlier than anyone else. Near guided Gabby to a table in the back, where they both set down their books and themselves. The room seemed pretty boring, just tables, the teacher's desk, a blackboard, and equipment.

Gabby rested her head on the table, sighing deeply. Today was going to be a _long_ day; at least, that's how she felt it would be. Her blood was pounding in her veins as she waited for other students to enter the room. She dreaded the thought of the teacher starting class. Hopefully, she would be ignored, and class would go on like it normally would. Near watched her without a word, before looking off in a different direction, twirling a curl of hair with his index finger.

A good five minutes passed before anyone else entered. Gabby glanced up to see a boy with black hair. Someone she hadn't seen. He sat at the table next to theirs, turning and looking at her with a friendly look in his eyes. "Hey, you're that new girl, aren't you," he asked. Gabby was barely looking at him when she decided to answer. "Yeah... How'd you know?"

He smiled a bit larger. "Everyone's been talking about a black-haired new girl who freaked at Mello. So far, you're the only new girl in about three months." He held out his hand to Gabby. "The name's Raven. It's nice to really meet you."

Gabby hesitated, not knowing what she should do. Slowly, she rose her hand to his, taking it firmly. "Nice to meet you... I'm Gypsy... Say, how did you know what happened?"

Raven looked at the door, a few others entering the room, taking seats up front. No one that would pay them any mind, at least, that's what Gabby assumed, because Raven turned to face her again. "No one could find him last night until, like, ten or so. My friend and I were going over homework when we heard Mello yelling at someone that'd bumped into him. We left his room to see what was up. The kid had already taken off, but Mello was still there, seething. We saw that the side of his face was red. My friend was dumb enough to ask him what happened. He growled at us and said, 'The new bitch got out of line. She's gonna get hers soon.'"

By this point, Gabby was staring down at the table, her heart once again clamped with fear. Mello was pissed at her. He wanted revenge. She was sure of it.

Speak of the devil, too, because the blonde-haired demon strolled into the room. His eyes caught Raven, Near, and Gabby herself, and he sent them all a dark look before seating himself at the table by the door. Class was getting ready to begin, so Gabby faded into her work. The teacher briefly introduced her, but that was it. Physics went by, followed in the same fashion with Human Behavior and Foreign Studies.

Lunch was after, and so far, Gabby was content with the day. She opted to getting a sandwich, then made her way to find Near when a hand grabbed her shoulder. She froze, her blood becoming icy. Only one person came to her mind, and the voice saying, "Come with me. Now." told her she was right. The girl was practically dragged out of the cafeteria, food having been dropped in the shock she felt. Out the doors, and she was now outside with Mello. Alone.

It wasn't Mello that was scaring her at this point. It was being alone. Though she'd rather not admit it, Gabby was becoming dependent on the company of others. Being alone with this psycho scared her to no end. She stepped backwards once, but he followed, so she chose not to try.

"You're really pushing your luck," he started in a smugish tone, as if that fact wasn't already apparent. Gabby looked away from him, only for Mello to yell, "Look at me when I'm speaking to you!" Automatically, she did, her mind trying to figure out a means of escape. Mello crossed his arms. "I don't like how you're making me look. Like I'm weak of something." His face became a sneer. "I think it's time to pay you back."

His words passed through Gabby's head without any thought. However, the look of Mello's face, that dark, malevolent sneer, made Gabby's mind warp him into a familiar figure. For a brief second, Gabby did not see Mello, but she did see her father. And that one, miniscule second made her fear overwhelm her. Without any thought in her head, Gabby suddenly bolted in the direction on the school's gates. Mello only stared after her for a moment before dashing right behind her.

Gabby turned her head, saw Mello after her, and shrieked, "Leave me alone!" She was faced with the consequences of not paying attention soon enough, because her foot caught a piece of pavement that was uneven with the rest, pavement near the exit of this hell. Gabby fell to the ground, the impact her head would've made being absorbed by her using her arms.

Mello was beside her in no time. "Hey. Get up," he started, unknowingly placing his hand on her shoulder. Immediately, Gabby shoved his hand away, the sobbing beginning. "No, we aren't playing this again," he yelled, grabbing her again. This time, Gabby did not shove him away. Instead, she covered her face, crying loudly. Through the babbling and bawling, Mello made out the words, "I thought you were dead, Daddy! I thought you were gone! Why do you have to haunt me?"

Mello gave her the oddest stare. Was the girl off her rocker? He loosened his grip on her shoulder before saying dryly, "I'm not your dad."

Gabby continued to sob, though, she peered out from between her fingers after summing up the courage to do so. It took her a few seconds, but she soon ceased her crying, staring in shock at Mello. He had half a mind to slap some sense into her, but something told him doing that would upset her more, would upset some demons she'd buried.

Before he could comprehend what was going on, Gabby was clinging to him. The sudden contact made Mello lurch backwards, sending them both to the ground. Gabby clung tightly to his body, her face buried in his chest. Her breathing was off, and she was twitching and flinching nonstop. This sudden change of heart confused Mello. To no end, he was lost.

"He wanted to kill me… He wanted me to die…" Gabby was speaking, her words dead, but so honest. "I… I thought you were him… I thought you were going to kill me…" Gabby drew closer to the boy who'd earlier been her greatest fear, now acting like he was her guardian. Mello strained to look down at the short Gabby, and his eyes met a torn sleeve, and even worse off skin. At first, he tried to sit up, as to look at what was there, but Gabby resisted, saying in a weak voice, "Don't leave… Please…"

He shook his head at the girl. "I'm trying to sit up. You do so too, you hopeless wreck." They both sat up in a single motion, Mello having the girl sit against him, her back against his front, his legs around her to ensure she felt a little sure he wouldn't run. His hands made their way to her torn sleeve, gripping it tightly. Expecting a response from Gabby made him wait, but she did nothing, protested in no way.

He pulled the sleeve up, and immediately felt sick to his stomach. Scars and wounds decorated the flesh. Bruises gave it color. Where had all these wounds come from? As Mello looked closer, he saw they ran under the sleeve to her upper arm. Was her entire being as messed up as her arm was?

While Mello had no disagreements to checking, he felt a sickening feeling enter his stomach. Why the hell did he care so much all of a sudden? Was it because he'd never seen anyone freak out like Gabby did? That may be it, but for now, he couldn't question his means for caring.

Right now, he had to investigate just what was up with the girl seated against him, and what made her tick.

Dooone. XD I get forgetful too easily. Hope you like it. Bye!


	8. Broken Down

Hello all! Here's the eighth chapter. Hope you all like it. ^^

I do not own anything Death Note related, except this story and Gabby.

* * *

By this time, Mello was pulling Gabby by the hand through the hall. Lunch must've let out, because they had to go through crowds of people, many of which stared at the scene. And what a scene; A disgruntled-looking Mello and a scared-looking Gabby with a stear-stained face, Mello dragging Gabby after him. Almost all of them whipsered and pointed, making Gabby duck her head down, acting as if she wasn't there.

"Hey, Mello, where ya going," a semi-familiar voice asked. She peered up from under her eyelashes and saw Matt. Mello grabbed his wrist, pulling the two of them along. "Follow," he ordered, even though Matt obviously had no say.

The blonde pulled them down a hall, then another. Turning every few halls made Gabby dizzy. Too many halls, and they were becoming more and more unfamiliar. Wherever they were going, Gabby was afraid of it. What would be there, waiting? What was going to happen?

Soon, they stopped outside a room, which Mello opened with his foot. He pulled the duo inside and closed the door, letting the two go so he could lock the door. "I guess we sit," Matt said, mostly to himself, wandering to a bed (his she assumed), and shyly, she followed. Matt had been the nice one, so she trusted him a bit more.

Once the door was locked, Mello turned, looking at the two. He stepped towards Gabby, taking hold of her hand lightly. Eyes burning with a raw emotion of sorts, he looked at Matt. "You need to see this too. So you know where I'm coming from if I'm bitching later." With that said, he yanked the sleeve up, past her elbow this time, all the way to the shoulder.

Matt dropped his game in shock, and Mello almost wished he hadn't done what he just did. The damage was a lost worse than he imagined- The burns, scars, and bruises decorated this area too, but there were a few places that had been stitched shut crudely. "Holy fuck," Matt muttered lowly, his eyes wide behind his orange-tinted goggles. Gabby squirmed uneasily. This much attention was not doing her any good, and she knew she couldn't lie her way around this.

In the past, Gabby had lied to many a people about the injuries that they had accidentally seen. She would tell people that she did them herself, as to get attention from her father, that she liked attention all too much. Just acts that her father had drilled into her head.

She had been just the robot her father had wanted her to be.

"Hey, Earth to idiot," Mello called, snapping his fingers at from her thoughts, Gabby focused on him, saying in a dry, blunt voice, "It's Gypsy..."

His completely ignored the comment, gloved fingers gently tracing the injuries on her arm. It almost amazed him that she still had skin on her arm. He finally looked at her, a hardened stare on his face. Slowly, he asked her, "Who exactly are you?"

Gabby lightly tugged her arm, trying to get it away from him. No use. Karma was pushing her to do this. She sighed. "Who I am is of no importance," she began, ducking her head down. Her muscles twitched uneasily. "I've been nothing for a long time. No one. Nothing to anyone, aside from a punching bag."

She finally let her arm go limp in Mello's hold. "Before my mom died, I was someone. I was a person that lived in a peaceful home. I had an okay life. But I was too young to experience the joy, to actually know that I was blessed. My father said she died of a disease... That's what he claimed anyway. No one knows what really happened."

She grew silent, the only movement she gave to signal her living was her fingers twitching. Eyes were darting around the floor. Gabby didn't want to look at either of them. And yet, now it felt like the words wouldn't stop. "As soon as she was gone, everything changed. My dad hurt me more. It used to be my mom that stood up for me, but as soon as she was gone, he got to me directly. And it never seemed to end."

Gabby finally looked up at Mello, her eyes dark, lifeless... Smoldering with rage even.

"There, are you happy now," she growled, fiercely pulling her arm away. She stood up, standing nose-to-nose with Mello. "You can make fun of me all you want now you ungrateful scum." She was spitting venom now, her eyes daggers. "I know you're just dying to get your revenge on me. Dying to hurt me in some way, shape, or form. So do it! Right now!"

Mello, in fact, did not say a word to Gabby. He just let her stare him down, let her have that freak out. And when she was done, Mello just stayed quiet. He stared back, his own eyes blank of anything.

Slowly, very slowly, he took a breath. Gabby was sure this was it, that she was going to get attacked in at least one way now. She was ready for it. Ready for the pain to follow. Ready to finally fight.

"You know," he started, his voice surprisingly calm. His hand was suddenly on her shoulder. Gabby cringed. "Two things. One, you didn't have to tell us all of that."

Gabby blinked, realizing that he was absolutely correct. A blush covered her face as she looked away, cursing at herself.

"Hey chill out, I haven't even told you what the second point was," said Mello, snapping Gabby back to his attention. "Second," Mello continued slowly after Gabby's eyes were completely focused on his. "I see why you are such a fucked up weirdo."

For some reason, the words had a larger impact on Gabby. Still expecting to be ridiculed for all the torment she'd managed to inflict upon Mello, or just karma never allowing her to be completely free within the world, either way, it smashed at Gabby's psyche. She tried to jerk her shoulder away, but it appeared Mello was on the expecting end of the spectrum. His grasp on her shoulder, though it had felt so gentle, was firm. Quickly, he pulled her back before she got too far, throwing his other arm around her.

Now, the last thing Gabby expected was to be hugged. In fact, neither her, nor Matt, expected that. Red hair and goggles found themselves flying as Matt stood quickly, stopping just as fast when he saw nothing was happening. Gabby, on the other hand, was shaking nervously, not knowing what was going on.

"M-Mello, what do you t-think you're d-doing," she managed to stutter, tears threatening her eyes again. The only other person to have ever hugged her, that Gabby remembered anyway, was her mother. Mixtures of memories and lifelong hurt filled gabby's heart and soul. Anger and hate were one thing; This was an entirely different feeling than that.

Instead of speaking to make Gabby be quiet, he guided her with him to his bed, sitting down while still embracing her. Every nudge Gabby gave as a sign of retreat was ignored. She craved to return to the familiarity of nothingness. Nothing but pain and misery. What she was used to.

By and by, Matt seated himself next to the two of them, just watching Gabby's emotions flash on her face. In the course of the time she'd been there, Gabby had gone from the living dead to a broken doll, the difference being that she was showing emotion.

"Look... Gypsy," Matt began, pulling his goggles off his eyes. Still not free, Gabby merely turned her head to Matt, her dark hair messily placed over her face. Uncomfortable as it was, she was curious to see what Matt, of all the people there, had to say.

"A lot of kids here come from pretty messed up pasts," he said, placing his game system beside him. "This place seems a lot like a boarding school, but no matter what, this place is still an orphanage. None of us have homes, or parents. We're all lost in some way."

Gabby remained quiet, her face in somewhat shock. However, her body seemed to relax a bit, leaning a bit more against Mello.

Matt wasn't yet finished. "We can't let our pasts eat us alive. Even if we're all alone, we all have each other. These people are our new families." Matt smiled sweetly, scratching his nose. "We've all been given new opprotunities. Whatever was hurting you, or was holding you back in the past, it can't get to you anymore. You're safe."

Everything grew quiet at that, even the slight noises in the hall had ceased. It appeared everyone was in class, aside for the three of them in that room. Seemed like everywhere she went, silence would follow Gabby. Surprisingly, however, this silence wasn't as menacing as she'd thought it would be. In fact, it was kind of... Nice.

As if in a movie in slow motion, a smile formed on Gabby's face. It was not a weak one, one that seemed unsure of the world around it. No, this smile was like the one Gabby wore when she'd found that piano. It was bright, bold, confident even. The opposite of Gabby herself.

"... Thanks Matt," she finally chimed, her eyes fluttering closed. Gabby wriggled herself from Mello's embrace, only to place her head in his lap, yawning. She was quickly asleep, with neither of the boys protesting to it.

When they were both sure that Gabby was asleep, Matt stated, "Reliving all that and screaming must've tired her out," which earned him an annoyed glare from Mello, a look which said he had just stated the obvious. Mello carefully moved himself away from Gabby, placing her head on a pillow. He gestured for Matt to move to sit on his own bed, and the duo did such.

"Hopefully this is the end of it. I just want her to stop being such a wreck all the time," Mello spoke, looking back at the unconscious girl. Matt smirked. "I guess you really are attached to her. Especially after all that fighting."

That earned the red head a slap at the back of the head. "Shut it," hissed Mello sharply, a scowl and light blush on his face. "This does NOT get out to anyone. What was just discussed stays with the people in this room. Got it?"

Matt nodded, pondering that for a few seconds. "So, what about Gypsy? Should we wake her up and tell her," he quietly asked, pointing to the girl across the room from them. Mello hushed, staring at her, before shaking his own head. "Nah... Let her sleep. We have all the time in the world to tell her anything."

"If you say so... Now what?"

Both boys were now in thought. What were they to do now? Class had already started, and if either of them showed up late they'd just be sent to Roger's office.

"You go grab some more candy from the kitchen. I'll stay with her in case she wakes up," Mello instructed. Without a second thought, Matt was out the door, his search beginning.

And Mello was left sitting there, watching the broken girl sleep those painful memories of her past away.

* * *

That's all for this chapter. I'll see you all next time!


	9. Author's Note

A quick notice to everyone who has subscribed to, and is waiting for, updates on my stories:

I deeply and sincerely apologize for not uploading new chapters to any of my stories for a while. Things have been a little hectic around here. I will get back to work on all of my stories now that things have settled down. Again, I apologize for this hiatus. It occurred to me that I hadn't taken the time to notify any of you, and I feel extremely guilty.

So, once more, I will get back to work on all of my stories. I thank you all for your understanding.

~DemonicPandaDoll


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